No. « DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTOKK Ml 



climate of Louisiana, so that it cannot satisfactorily be kept there. 

 When the feeds become over moist, they ferment, part of the sugar 

 is inverted, and there is a tendency to sourness and moldiness. 



Much interesting study has been devoted to the nutritive value of 

 molasses, either fed alone or when used in combination with tin- 

 various absorbents above named. Time will permit only a brief sum 

 mary of the work of the last fifteen years upou this subject. Some 

 of the most conspicuously satisfactory results have been obtained 

 with horses and mules. Numerous observers report it to be appetiz- 

 ing and to keep the animal in sleek, vigorous condition. Welborn 

 states that the 400 pound Filipino pony compares favorably in endur- 

 ance with the Texas mustang, yet receives only a little "dulce," or 

 diluted molasses, and grass, with an occasional ration of rough rice. 

 Griffin maintained hardworked army horses in Porto Rico on 13 to 

 15 pounds of molasses and 35 pounds of grass per day per 1,000 

 pounds live-weight; their condition improved. The New York 8vn 

 reports that the heavy teams (1,700 or 1,800 pounds) of a Brooklvn 

 sugar-refining company were kept in prime condition at hard work 

 on a ration of one and one-half quarts of cornmeal, one quart of wheat 

 bran, several pounds of cut hay and one and one-fourth quarts of re- 

 finery syrup in the morning; four to five quarts of oats at noon: and 

 a repetition in the evening of the morning ration with an addition of 

 five pounds of loose hay. The cost of this ration was 34 cents ner 

 day, vs. 42 to 44 cents for oats and hay alone. Animals in run- 

 down condition quickly regained weight. Grandeau, from his ob- 

 servations on Paris cab horses, reports that heavily worked horses, 

 when fed with a mixture of straw and beet molasses in amounts 

 equal to 5-| to 8 pounds of molasses per day, all gained weight; thai 

 the total ration cost but 28 cents per day, instead of 44 cents for 

 the usual grain ration. Berns, experimenting with growing horses, 

 heavy truck animals and driving horses, found that all improved 

 when one quart of beet molasses diluted with three quarts of water 

 and mixed with five pounds of cut hay were used; that one quart of 

 molasses at 3 cents replaced three to four quarts of good oats cost- 

 ing 4.5 to 6 cents, and resulted in a total reduction of food cost of 25 

 to 33 per cent. 



Dr. Dalrymple, Veterinarian of the Louisiana Experiment Station, 

 recently reported the results of an investigation into the Louisiana 

 plantation practice. Reports from 42 plantations showed that 2 to 

 21 pounds of black strap molasses was fed per day per head; average, 

 9.5 pounds. The saving in cost is estimated variously at 10 to OU 

 per cent., in comparison with the cost of the usual grain ration; in 

 particular instances, a saving of 15 to 21 cents per day is reported. 

 One plantation keeping 177 mules estimates a saving of .f6.000.00 in 

 one year from molasses feeding. Digestive disturbances, colic in 

 particular, were greatly diminished, as other observers have noted. 

 The cane molasses is somewhat constipating, but a little bran readily 

 corrects this tendency. When mixed with whole grain, it leads to 

 imperfect mastication; therefore chop should be used with it. No 

 injury to the animal's teeth is shown to occur. 



For fattening steers, Kellner concludes from his experiments, that 

 the organic matter of molasses is as valuable as starch. Dickson 

 and Malpeaux found that an addition of one and one-half pounds of 

 molasses caused in 20 days a net gain of 10 ponnds weight on 2 year 



